“So we’re stranded outside with no tickets. Eventually the stewards agreed to pass them through but it was taking me that long to get around the ground I told my mate to go on ahead.

“I was trying to get round that quickly I fell over and I thought that was the day finished.

“With about 10 minutes to go I was getting really desperate. A guy was offering tickets for 55 euros outside and I thought that will do rightly but as I paid him the French police came over.

“I thought that was me. Incredibly one of the police officers took the money and the tickets, looked at me, and handed me one over saying I wasn’t in the wrong. That was the first bit of good luck I’ve had.

“I finally got in on the 37th minute.”

He added: “My mum and dad told have both told me to come home but I said I’m staying.

“I’m just hoping it doesn’t get any worse.

“The win made it all worthwhile. I was standing in the stadium waving my crutches about going bonkers. If I can laugh about it everyone else can.

“I’ve hopefully had my run of bad luck for this tournament and a lifetime.”